Is Feeneyism Catholic? - Society of St. Pius X

70 IS F EENEYISM C ATHOLIC?
Summa such a delight. As we have seen above, 99 St. Thomas mentions
baptism of desire in other places of his works, but it is of
course impossible to give every quote!
One word to help the reader who is not acquainted with the
theology of the sacraments. St. Thomas distinguishes three elements
in each sacrament: 1) sacramentum tantum–the exterior
sign (e.g., water in baptism); 2) sacramentum et res–a “sign and reality,”
(e.g., the character of baptism) an intermediary element,
signified and effected by the exterior sign, but itself further signifying
and causing the ultimate reality, grace; 3) res tantum–the reality
itself, i.e., the ultimate reality signified in the sacrament, that
is the sacramental grace, i.e., sanctifying grace with a special fruitfulness
to further actual graces to practice the virtues proper to
each sacrament (graces to live as a child of God, as a soldier of
Christ, as a priest of Christ, as a good Christian spouse, etc.). Baptism
of blood and baptism of desire are called “baptism” because
they produce the reality itself of the sacrament of baptism, i.e.,
they wash sin and give sanctifying grace, the life of the soul, the
new birth.
Whether three kinds of baptism are fittingly described,
that is, baptism of water, of blood, and of the Spirit?
(Summa Theologica, III, Q.66, A.11.)
Obj. 1: It seems that the three kinds of Baptism are not fittingly
described as Baptism of Water, of Blood, and of the Spirit,
i.e., of the Holy Ghost. Because the Apostle says (Eph. 4:5):
“One Faith, one Baptism.” Now there is but one Faith. Therefore
there should not be three Baptisms.
Obj. 2: Further, Baptism is a sacrament, as we have made
clear above (Q.65, A.1). Now none but Baptism of Water is a
sacrament. Therefore we should not reckon two other Baptisms.
Obj. 3: Further, Damascene (De Fide Orth., iv) distinguishes
several other kinds of Baptism. Therefore we should admit more
than three Baptisms.
On the contrary, on Heb. 6:2, “Of the doctrine of Baptisms,”
the gloss says: “He uses the plural, because there is Baptism
of Water, of Repentance, and of Blood.”
99 ST, III, Q.68, A.3, see p.47; ST, Q.73, A.3, see p.38.